Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1791-1801, 1886, 1941
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CROSS, prep., adv. Aphetic form of Eng. across.
1. prep. Used poet. as in Eng. and also dial. as in n.Eng. (see E.D.D.).Cai.7 1941:
He lives cross 'e rod.Ayr. 1791 Burns Tam o' Shanter l. 89:
By this time he was cross the ford.
2. As adv., etc. in combs.: (1) cross-brath'd, see Brath; †(2) cross-nook, (a) “to check, to restrain” (Abd. 1825 Jam.2); (b) used refl.: to get out of the way; (3) cross-speir, to cross-question (Bnff.2, Abd.2, Fif.10 1941).(2) (b) Abd. 1801 W. Beattie Parings 4:
Come in! come in! my cauldrif lown, . . . Cross-nook ye, bairns, an' let him down Afore the fire.(3) Ags. 1886 A. D. Willock Rosetty Ends (1887) 41:
He was speired at an' cross-speired at till a' thing was kent aboot him.
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"Cross prep., adv.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 20 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/cross_prep_adv>
